Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Women across the US go on strike. “A Day Without a Woman,” planned as a follow-up to the anti-Trump Women’s March in January, is designed to demonstrate economic solidarity. Participating women are supposed to take the day off from both paid and unpaid work, avoid shopping, and wear red clothing.
India launches a women’s cricket league. Organizers want to popularize the game among women and create a world-class platform for female cricketers. Even though India has had an women’s cricket team for nearly three decades, it lives in the shadow of the wildly popular men’s league.
China announces a “declaration of rights”. The government is expected to announce sweeping new laws that would outline social rights and responsibilities for the country’s 1.4 billion citizens. The changes are part of a wider effort by president Xi Jinping’s to align the legal system with the country’s social and economic modernization, though critics say they are unlikely to clarify the crucial question of property rights.
While you were sleeping
ZTE pled guilty to violating US sanctions and paid $892 million in fines. The Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer admitted to breaking American laws that restrict the sale of technology to Iran and North Korea. “We are putting the world on notice: The games are over,” said US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross.
WikiLeaks published a giant trove of CIA files describing the agency’s hacking methods. The 8,761 documents detail the tools that the agency uses to break into iPhones, Android devices, and even smart TVs. Whistleblower Edward Snowden said the documents appear to be authentic, in part because of their bizarre codenames.
Jeff Bezos found the first customer for his space company. Blue Origin signed up French satellite company Eutelsat for an orbital launch sometime around 2021. At a satellite industry conference, Bezos said that space tourism could lead the way for humanity to become a spacefaring civilization.
Opposition mounted to the Republican plan to replace Obamacare. Democrats are resolutely opposed to Congressional Republican plan, which maintains many of the Obama healthcare reforms while cutting taxes for the rich and benefits for the poor. Many conservative groups also came out against the proposal, calling it “Obamacare-lite,” though US president Donald Trump said he was “proud” to support it.
America’s trade deficit skyrocketed. The gap between imports and exports rose 9.6% to $48.5 billion, the highest level since March 2012, buoyed by rising oil prices and imports of cellphones and cars. The numbers point to a slump and present a challenge for the Trump administration, which has vowed to double economic growth.
Quartz obsession interlude
Leah Fessler on the subtle office cues that signal if employees are happy. “If you have the opportunity to check out the communal kitchen, take it. Dirty dishes and clogged sinks are obvious evidence of employee laziness and disregard for common areas. The fridge culture, meanwhile, is more nuanced.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
One company bought
Six million tons of sugar
A whole lot of Pez
Matters of debate
Is Nevada the Greece of America? The state’s economy is still reeling from the financial crisis, even as most other states have recovered.
Bitcoin’s boom might not be a fluke. The cryptocurrency does not show most of the telltale signs of a financial bubble.
A four-day workweek could be hazardous to your health. Compressing hours has serious implications for mental health, stress levels, and fatigue.
Surprising discoveries
Jimmy Buffett is opening a real-life Margaritaville for the olds. Residents can waste away in the singer’s new Florida retirement community.
Nike is making a performance hijab. It’s for female Muslim athletes who have had few options for their workouts.
Women make up less than 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. That frustratingly small number is even lower than last year.
Switzerland bumped off Germany as the world’s #1 country. The Swiss were praised for citizenship, entrepreneurship, and quality of life.
Netflix is making choose-your-own-adventure shows. New interactive storylines will give viewers control over how plots unfold.
IKEA’s new furniture may save your relationship. Snap-together designs may eliminate the fight over who misplaced the pesky hex-wrench.
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